Neutron Diffraction Study of Ferromagnetic Ordering in La1/3Nd1/3Ca1/3MnO3 Induced by Electric Field

J. Baszyńskia, B. Idzikowskia, T. Tolińskia and A. Hoserb a Institute of Molecular Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smoluchowskiego 17, 60-179 Poznań, Poland b Hahn-Meitner Institut, Glienicker Strasse 100, 14109 Berlin, Germany

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We used the neutron diffraction technique to study the ferromagnetic ordering process in La1/3Nd1/3Ca1/3MnO3 induced by the short impulse of the external electric field E=4 V/cm at a magnetic field H=1.5 T. Our sample was prepared by the standard solid-state reaction. The diffraction measurements at 4 K, carried out for the neutron wavelength λ=0.2442 nm, have revealed the orthorhombic perovskite structure with the unit-cell parameters: a=0.5480 nm, b=0.5550 nm and c=0.7737 nm. We observed that a short impulse of the electric field develops the ferromagnetic ordering in a similar way as the magnetic field up to 4 T. We assume that the increased ferromagnetic ordering induced by the external electric field at a given magnetic field has the same physical origin as in the case of the Zener double exchange. The effect is confirmed by magnetic moment measurements using vibrating sample magnetometer.

DOI: 10.12693/APhysPolA.97.831 PACS numbers: 71.30.+h, 75.25.+z